Jen_T
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I'll make this as brief as possible considering how many stories there are to read. There are so many of us that suffer from obesity. Whatever the reason, we all have one thing in common...we are here and we need help.
I am 38 years old. I am 5' 7" and as of today, weigh 301.7 pounds. I used to be 5' 8" but I don't know what happened with that. I guess maybe my butt is weighing me down...lol. I have been battling with weight since adolescence. I was often known as "Trench-coat" in school growing up because I never wanted to take my coat off to reveal what was underneath.
I've been on many diets. Starvation, low calorie, low fat, Atkins, marcobiotic ketogenic, medical weight loss clinic, weight - watchers, and just plain putting the fork down and backing away from the table. I've even chewed up things like cookies (which usually isn't my downfall) and spitting them in the toilet, rinsing my mouth out afterwards.
These diets are effective... but only for a time when you suffer from obesity. I gained 100 pounds with each of my 3 pregnancies. After my last one which was 13 years ago, I never got my weight even close to under control. The smallest I've been in the last 17 years was 145 pounds, through the marcobiotic ketogenic diet after my first pregnancy. I soon became pregnant again and gained back 100 pounds. After the 2nd pregnancy I went back on diets and got down to about 170 and then I got pregnant again. I cried for days knowing I was soon to be obese again.
Once my daughter was born I just didn't have the stamina to do it all over again.
So, my weight fluctuated back and forth between 180 and 230 pounds for years.
I was divorced in 1998 and gained about 80 pounds after that. I became depressed, developed panic disorder and began to really hate myself.
I remarried in 2001 to a wonderful man that overlooked my weight and saw the person inside the cocoon. I lost a little weight after I got married and then I went back to school and became an RN. During the schooling process my weight began creeping up and up and up. It was probably the combination of stress, fast food, lack of excercise and my genetics.
I have 4 siblings and of the 4 I am the only one that is obese. There is; however, great incidence of obesity in our family. My mother was obese but had a RNY done 5 years ago. She lost over 100 pounds and is holding well, approaching the age of 60.
I have so many problems because of my obesity. I have fibromyalgia, aching feet and joints, crepitus in my knees, urinary stress incontinence, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, snoring, and a low self-esteem amongst many other things that add up along the way.
I had my first appointment with Forest Health Bariatric Center. I sat through the presentation and then had a visit with the doc. The doc said that I qualify for surgery and am an awesome candidate according to the NIH guidelines. I have MCare PPO Plus insurance. They are going to be submit a letter to my insurance company within the week, hopefully.
So here I am... I hope I get approved!
